It Begins In Vermont
by Ztilo
Summary: A different take on how #Vermontgate in 3x08 ended. Olivia wakes up early and does a little roaming around the house.


Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal

The light shined softly through the glass doors, the sun beginning to make its presence known in the early hours of the morning. Olivia opened her eyes to come face to face with a high, dark ceiling above her and the rhythmic sound of quiet snoring. She turned to the source of the sound to find Fitz on his stomach sleeping soundly beside her. His left arm rose above his head, his head resting on his right one, covering half his face, but from what she could see he appeared completely unperturbed by what woke her or the sound of her rousing.

He looked peaceful, for the first time in a long time he looked entirely at peace.

She watched him for a moment, the light grin on his face, the ruffle of his hair, the way his back rose and fell with each breath. She got lost in it, in him, in the memory of their previous night and the significance of the house it all took place in. She couldn't help smiling herself remembering his words and the way they made her heart skip when he'd said them. It had been all she'd needed to forget their struggles and their arguments and all the pain she felt.

If only for a moment it had been enough.

Shaking the dark thoughts of the reality of their lives from her mind, she sat up and gathered a blanket wrapping it tightly around her, leaving Fitz with just a sheet that stayed tangled around his waist.

Standing up, with the low light illuminating the house just enough to be able to see the details of it, she looked around and took the whole of it in.

It was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. And it was hers, theirs. It was a home he had built just for them, with her in mind, with a clinging of hope for the future they may one day have. She couldn't help the gulp that got caught in her throat as she noted the meticulous detail with which he had created it. It was a perfect mix of her and him, both their tastes blended together to become one new home, one new place to share their lives in.

She moved around the living room, looking back at Fitz's still sleeping form as she left him and crossed into the kitchen. It was massive, stainless steel, granite counters, dark brown cupboards from the finest wood, an island sitting in the middle with plenty of room to walk all around it. It was the kind of kitchen you usually only saw in mansions on TV, though she had to admit that wasn't far from what this house was now. It wasn't just a house, it was a mansion. Massive, with high ceilings, sturdy walls, a backyard that would need multiple people mowing it, and doors so thick hurricane winds couldn't blow them open.

It was everything anyone could ever ask for in a home.

She noted a restroom just outside the kitchen, near the corner along with another door that she assumed would be a guest room, and then caught sight of the stairs that led to the second floor. Without hesitation she made her way to them and then cautiously took the first step, looking up at what the short climb had waiting for her. She felt nervous, she wasn't sure she was prepared for what she might find, for what it would mean. But she knew she had to find it.

Gathering her wits, she wrapped the blanket ever tighter around her, lifting it as she took the next step. And another, and another until she reached the top.

A long balcony wrapped itself all around the second floor overlooking the living room and fireplace and all around it were doors leading to rooms all behind them. She walked down the wrapped-around hall, looking in from room to room, the words "there are bedrooms for a lot of kids" stuck in the forefront of her mind. He was right; there were a lot of bedrooms, more than enough even. But as she looked inside each one, through their unfinished furnishings, she could tell exactly what he had in mind when adding them. Each room was painted in a different color: light, pastel colors with white rimming. They had large windows with flowing curtains and though there was wood flooring in all of them, they all had rugs spread out with colorful designs perfect for kids to play on.

Her breath hitched as she thought about the implications of it all. There were no kids to speak of, at least none that they had together, yet he had set up each room with the idea that one day there would be, as if it were almost certain, as if there already was one on the way.

But there wasn't, as far as she knew there wasn't.

Feeling her emotions begin to tip over, she quickly closed the door to the third room and continued walking. Her step increasing as she fought between her curiosity and her desire to leave altogether.

As she got to the middle, however, she spotted another set of doors. These were different, they were double doors, and as she stepped closer she noticed that they were slightly darker in color with thin lined designs around them. Realizing this couldn't possibly be another kid's room, she let her curiosity overtake her and decided to go inside. Carefully she reached for the doorknob and pushed the heavy doors in.

She gasped.

It_ wasn't_ just another bedroom; it had to be the master bedroom. It was huge, clean, and entirely decorated, with a white comforter very similar to hers sprawled on the bed in right in the middle of it.

"Do you like it?" she heard a voice ask and she spun around to see Fitz standing in the doorway clad only in boxers watching her.

"Fitz…I love it."

He stepped away from the door and strolled slowly until they were standing face to face.

"Aren't you cold?" She asked opening the blanket around her so that he could step into it.

"Not anymore," he replied smiling down at her.

"Fitz this house, it's – it's too much."

"It's not enough." He quickly replied.

She shook her head.

"This doesn't change everything, it doesn't erase…" she trailed off sighing, hoping he'd say something, anything to make her feel like she was wrong, like it was okay, like the house really could change everything between them and make all the obstacles they constantly battled become meaningless.

As she thought about it, however, she realized she didn't care. Not then, not in that moment, not when the love of her life had his arms wrapped around her and the heat of their bodies warmed the air around them.

Right then, she decided, it just needed to be them. Just them.

"When did you build it?"

"Right after I got shot," he answered. "Right after I almost lost my life only to wake up and realize that all I wanted, all I _needed_ was simply to be with you. That no gunman, no presidency, no amount of politics was enough for me to stop fighting for us."

"Fitz…" she began, unable to finish, looking down as she tried to keep her composure.

"I love you Livie, I do. Nothing and no one will ever change that. Not Mellie, not your father, not Cyrus or Jake, no one. And no matter how many times I say it and you hesitate and don't say it back, it doesn't change the fact that it's true. I love you, Olivia Carolyn Pope I. Love. You. And we will make this happen, if you want it, if you love me too, this will happen." He put his hand to her cheek and brought her face up to meet his eyes. "One day it will."

She felt tears sting her eyes, the rush of feelings his words had brought finally overwhelmed her. She pressed her face to his chest and buried it herself against. He felt warm and soft despite the hardness of the muscle and it was enough to settle in a sense of much needed comfort within her that relaxed her and kept her tears at bay. She felt safe in his arms, content to feel his skin against hers, his scent becoming hers and vice versa. She wanted to stay like this forever, just she and he and no one else; just the two of them alone without the troubles of the outside world trying to break them apart.

His arms flexed against her and he brought her body ever closer to his, and though their naked bodies touched almost entirely it wasn't at all sexual. It was love, pure uninterrupted love, the kind of love that many people go their whole lives without ever experiencing.

Finally she felt herself calm and she pulled back just enough to bring her head up to search his stare. Blue met brown immediately and though his face held a pleasant smile, she could tell by the fall of his eyes that he was still scared, waiting for her to answer, unsure of how she truly felt.

"I love you too."

It was all she needed to say. It was enough. In one fell swoop he brought her lips to his, as she raised to her toes to meet his embrace. Lips locked, he moved his hands down to lift her body and she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pushed her backwards onto the bed behind her, falling over, unwilling to untangle himself from her.

She opened her eyes as her head hit the mattress and looked up catching sight of the blue, brightening sky above casting a light that fell strongest over them.

"It's for you, all of it, it's all for you." He gleamed at her, his hair glowing as the light passed through it. She grinned, unsure of what he meant, unsure if he referred to the light, the house, or more. Probably more, definitely more, she thought. And it was true, she knew that. He didn't have to say it for her to know the truth behind his words, his actions said more than anything he could ever speak would. He was head over heels in love with her, probably since the moment he saw her, and there wasn't an inch of her that didn't feel that every time she stepped into a room with him.

"I know," was all she could say, but he understood. Though she couldn't word it, not like he did, it too showed. Every time she showed up, every time she picked up the phone, every time she fought against him and answered the door even when they were both in pain, it showed. It was her, her own way, it was how she showed love and he knew that.

She was in it, just as he was.

He leaned in to kiss her once more and their bond instantly deepened. It wouldn't be just rendezvous anymore, it wouldn't be a just a set of random moments that were never enough to add up to a whole, it would be more, much more. There was a goal now, a plan, a finish line to race towards. And though it was dark, and bumpy, and there were endless road blocks and holes wishing to swallow them whole, there was finally light there. They had the ability to see the end and they could taste how much they wanted it.

They made love. What they shared in that moment, wasn't sex, it wasn't simply two people moving together. It was two people becoming one, it was the start of something new, something fresh and they yearned for it. It was as if it was the first time they were together all over again, like they were back in that hotel room. The same fervor, the same rush, it was discovering one another all over again.

They were making love, in their room, in their house, on their bed and there wasn't anything or anyone that could take that away from them.

When they were done they laid side by side, looking up at the sky, just the two of them together. There were no more words, it was just the two of them, breathing and sharing a moment together.

Soon enough the roar of the helicopter sounded in the distance and they slowly stood, gathering the blanket and made their way back down, to where it all started. Olivia dressed silently while Fitz helped gather her things, coming up behind her to help her button her blouse when he was done.

There was still so much to do, so much more to say, but in that moment neither of them wanted to damage the moment.

Olivia turned around to meet Fitz, his hands resting on her hips as he looked into her eyes, a longing, sad smile barely touching his lips.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied.

The helicopter roared louder and she broke their contact, their minute, to look over his shoulder.

"That's my ride," she said and he nodded.

He gave her things to her and she took them, walking slowly past him as he followed. She reached the door and looked back, he stood by the edge of the room watching her. She looked around the house one last time, trying her best to memorize every detail, to make sure she remembered every moment they'd spent in it together, and then looked at him once more.

"Don't sell the house."

It was just four words and it was the only thing left she needed to say.

She didn't wait for a reply. Without another word, she turned and walked out, leaving the house behind.

As the helicopter rode up, she watched the house become a distant memory, could feel the night they shared turning into a dream she wasn't quite sure was real. She didn't know when she'd be back, or even if she would be, but she knew then that she would try. That no matter what happened between them, she would continue to try.

* * *

**Thoughts? Please review! I might turn this into a series of one-shots about their lives developing in Vermont, probably more fluff and less angst next time though :)**


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